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National League Wild Card Game at PNC Park Details for fans and media

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Press Release |

The Pirates return to the Major League Baseball Postseason for the 15th time in team history and the first time since 1992. The Pirates will host National League Central rival, the Cincinnati Reds for a one-game Wild Card, with the winner moving on to play the St. Louis Cardinals in a five-game Division Series beginning on Thursday.

Fun on Federal Street: Federal Street will be closed starting at 10 a.m. As with every home game throughout the season, the Clemente Bridge and Federal Street will be closed and used for pedestrian traffic only. Starting at 4 p.m. there will be activities on Federal Street including Pittsburgh food trucks, the Budweiser Bar and more.

Gates Open: The PNC Park Riverwalk will open at 5:30 p.m. and PNC Park gates will open to all fans at 6 p.m.

Starting at 5:30 p.m. fans will be able to frequent Skull Island located on the Riverwalk (see below).

Giveaway: All fans entering the park will receive a Pirates postseason rally towel, courtesy of Highmark and Trib Total Media.

Pregame Ceremony Begins at 7:30 p.m.

The honorary first pitch will be thrown by Samantha Hicks from Oxnard, California, the winner of the "Pick a Team, Walk Off A Winner" Sweepstakes.

The ceremonial first pitch will be thrown by former right hand pitcher Doug Drabek, 1990 Cy Young award winner.

National Anthem: The National Anthem will be performed by Petrina McCutchen, mother of Pirates threetime All-Star centerfielder Andrew McCutchen.

Tune In
Television: Fans can watch the National League Wild Card Game at PNC Park on TBS.
Radio: Fans can tune in to the National League Wild Card Game at PNC Park on 93.7 The Fan (93.7 FM) and the Pirates Radio Network.

Around the Park
Rivertowne Brewing Hall of Fame Club, the home of the now famous Brunch Burger, boasts a full service food menu and full bar with a great selection of local & national craft beers, The Rivertowne Brewing Hall of Fame Club continues full service throughout the entirety of the game and up to two hours after the game. The Brunch Burger is an Angus burger (patty is 60% ground beef and 40% ground Bacon) grilled and topped with house made bacon, fried egg, and cheddar cheese served between a grilled glazed donut with black and gold sprinkles.

In addition to the restaurant, ARAMARK will add some new concepts and specialty food stations to enhance the playoff experience at PNC Park.

New for the post-season is Tambellini's Bistro at PNC Park, located off of West General Robinson near the Home Plate entrance. Pittsburgh's own Joseph Tambellini will be on site to walk guests through several of his signature dishes, such as a Roasted Pork Sandwich, Eggplant Parmesan and Chicken Marsala. Tambellini's Bistro at PNC Park will offer a full service bar with high end liquors, cordials, Italian beers and wines. Inside the restaurant, La Prima will be on hand with a full service barista for all of your coffee needs.

Another new location is Skull Island, which is inside the Clemente Centerfield Gate entrance in front of the Picnic Park. This island style bar will feature specialty signature rum cocktails such as spiced warm apple cider, Pirate Rum punch, and Sangria. A selection of premium liquors, wine and beer will also be available. Live music will fill the area until the start of the game.

Along with the already wide variety of specialty food stands, ARAMARK will set up Chef-Attended Action Stations in Sections 101, 108 & 113.

• Section 101 will feature the southern dish Chicken and Waffles with a twist. A tender fried chicken breast is topped with maple aioli and sandwiched between two crispy waffles.
• Section 108 will pull double duty by serving a Grilled Chicken Breast topped with house made guacamole, locally grown tomatoes, and aioli on Brioche bread. The Hurdle Burger makes its debut here as well. This char-grilled burger is topped with queso sauce, roasted Poblano peppers, and pickled red onions on brioche bread.
• Section 113 will be dishing out a PNC Park past favorite, as the Stuffed Banana Pepper Sandwich makes its return to the PNC Park's main concourse. This spicy pepper is stuffed with a mixture of hot Italian sausage and mozzarella cheese, topped with a zesty marinara sauce and served on a baguette.

Parking
Parking lots on the North Shore will open at 4 p.m. for event parking.

Fans not holding pre-sold parking passes and arriving after 6 p.m., are encouraged to park in downtown. Parking in the Golden Triangle will be available for just $5 in the (9) Parking Authority Garages. Check for space availability via iPhone (ParkPGH); Mobile (m.parkpgh.org); SMS/Text and Voice (412-423-8980).

Fans are encouraged to ride the FREE "T" from the four Golden Triangle stations to the North Side Station just outside of PNC Park's Trib-Total Media Home Plate Gate.

Parking is also available at

Station Square Gateway Clipper Shuttles - The Gateway Clipper will take fans directly to PNC Park from this location. Children six-years-old and under are free.

River Avenue Lots -

From West I-376 or East I-376, take I-279 (Ft Duquesne Bridge) northbound to Exit 1D (on right) to Chestnut Ramp (on right); then right on Chestnut Street and right at traffic signal.

From North I-279, take Exit 2B to East Street and East Ohio Street eastbound to Chestnut Street southbound.

From North Route 28, take East Ohio Street to Chestnut Street southbound.

Also, fans who prefer to park west of Allegheny Avenue, can ride the "T" for free from the Allegheny Station outside of Heinz Field to the North Side Station just outside of PNC Park. Parking includes:

Carnegie Science Lots

Ridge Avenue Lots

Fulton Avenue Lot - This lot is located on the north side of the West End Bridge

For Fans Over 21 -- Rivers Casino Garage - Due to Rivers Casino policy, everyone in the vehicle must be 21 years or older to enter the garage.

Gate Policy Reminders
The Pirates ask that all fans follow some simple tips to ensure easy entrance to the ballpark:

Please allow for additional time when coming to the game.

Please minimize all unnecessary bags and metal objects when coming into the ballpark.

When approaching the security screener, please hold keys, cell phones and any other metal objects out of pockets and in your hands.

Each Guest is permitted to bring one bag into the ballpark. In conjunction with MLB, PNC Park regulations provide that bags, purses, fanny packs and backpacks 16x16x8-inch or smaller are permitted. All bags are subject to search upon entry and within the ballpark. Soft-sided coolers and soft-sided briefcases are permitted. Hard-sided coolers and briefcases, ice packs and cooler inserts are NOT permitted. For the convenience of those Guests not carrying purses, fanny packs and bags into the ballpark, express lanes are offered at each gate.

Guests are permitted to bring bottled water and food that may fit into a 16x16x8-inch soft-sided bag into the ballpark. Water bottles should not exceed 24 ounces in size, and must be clear, plastic, sealed and disposable. Children's juice boxes and items necessary for medical purposes are permitted. Alcoholic beverages, carbonated beverages, sports drinks, cans, glass bottles and thermoses are not allowed.

Hazardous or disruptive items cannot be brought into the ballpark. Samples of items that are not permitted include boom boxes, inflatable balls, balloons, Frisbee discs, laser pointers, fireworks, footballs and weapons of any kind. The Pirates reserve the right to inspect and remove any packages and/or containers.

Scoreboard messages
Fans coming to the game can put a message on the scoreboard the same as any other regular season game through the Bucco Billboard program. Please visit pirates.com/scoreboardmessages for more info.

Pirates Charities 50/50 Raffles
The Pirates Charities 50/50 Raffle that took place throughout the season, will also take place during the National League Wild Card. Raffle ticket prices are three (3) tickets for $5, 10 tickets for $10 and 40 tickets for $20 with all proceeds benefiting Pirates Charities. Raffle ticket sales close after the last out in the sixth inning. The winning number will be drawn and announced in the 8th inning and the winner will receive 50 percent of the total pot. Winning numbers are also posted on www.pirates.com/5050raffle within three business days.

Welcome to Buctober
The Pirates have a dedicated fan page on pirates.com/buctober to celebrate the team's postseason berth. The team will be adding fan content throughout October, including pictures and interviews.

Best Baseball for Your Buck
In June of 2013, the Pirates were named by the Wall Street Journal "Market Watch" as the best baseball team for your buck. The article compared all 30 Major League Baseball teams' secondary market pricing and level of play during the 2013 season. The Pirates won 50 home games in a season for the first time since 1992.

Rubber Duck on the River
The Rubber Duck Project, an outdoor art installation, launched the Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts, a project of The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust on Friday, September 27 and will stay through Sunday, October 20, 2013. The Rubber Duck Project is making its U.S. debut in Pittsburgh and will not make another appearance anywhere else in the world for three months following the time in Pittsburgh. Different versions of it have appeared since 2007 in Hong Kong, Sydney, Sao Paulo, Amsterdam and elsewhere. The Pittsburgh version will be made locally, under the direction of the artist, Florentijn Hofman of the Netherlands. The Rubber Duck Project is an inflatable piece of art made of PVC, four stories tall and three stories wide.

Postseason Tickets and Information
The Pirates are making postseason tickets available to as many fans as possible through special online-only presale opportunities. The registration process allows all fans an equal chance for purchasing tickets to potential games at PNC Park. Fans must complete and submit the form on pirates.com/postseason to be registered for a chance to purchase tickets to potential 2013 postseason games at PNC Park prior to general public on-sale. Fans need to register just once for the opportunity to purchase tickets to all rounds of the 2013 postseason, including the potential National League DivisionSeries, Championship Series and World Series games. For complete information, deadlines and drawing dates visit pirates.com/postseason.

Hunt Auctions
The Hunt Auctions kiosk, specializing in sports memorabilia, including game-used and authenticated items, is located behind section 125 on the main concourse at PNC Park. Unique items are available each homestand and fans will have the opportunity to purchase items at the kiosk or at pirates.com/authentics.